


The Human Way

by Kellec



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Jake and Ziyal are a couple of useless teenagers, Lovesick, M/M, Miscommunication, Mutual Pining, Nog's not as useless but he's not much better either, Protective Kira, Rating May Change, basically a bad rom-com, dating lessons, father/daughter Garak and Ziyal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-23
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-03-22 21:31:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13772988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kellec/pseuds/Kellec
Summary: Ziyal asks Garak to help her get Jake's attention. Garak asks Julian to help him help Ziyal.





	1. Chapter 1

The trouble had started when he noticed her holding back. Any time Ziyal had hesitated in telling Garak something, it meant trouble. 

They were on one of their holosuite ‘dates’. Garak was hesitant to call them such, but Quark was insistent on calling them such whenever he gave them the access code for the booked suite. He knew she had something to say before she’d even opened her mouth. From where he lay on his back looking at the ceiling, he could see her in his peripheral, lying on her stomach, chin resting on her hand, fingers on her other drumming against the rock she lay on. She was staring at him intently, and he could just see her pinched mouth behind her hand, which he knew she did when she was thinking. 

“If you have something on your mind,” he’d encouraged, not looking away from the ceiling, “don’t hold back.”

Ziyal didn’t bother asking how he knew she was thinking about saying something, knowing by now that Garak could read her better than she could herself. Still, her mouth opened and closed several times, hesitant before she finally spoke. 

“Can you keep a secret?”

“Better than anyone else you know.”

“Well its just because normally I’d be taking something like this to Kira, but she’ll tell Dax and Dax will tell Quark and before I know it the whole station-“ at this point Garak was giving her a pointed look, and when she glanced back at him and noticed she stopped, punctuating with a small laugh and a cleared throat. 

“Sorry,” she mumbled, “I must be nervous.”

“I guessed as much.”

“It’s just that...” she spun her hands in a gesture before knitting her fingers and resting her chin on them. After a long pause she finally said, “Is there anyone on this station you’d be unhappy with me getting involved with?”

 _Any of them_ , his mind said reflexively. Garak rolled onto his side and propped his head on his hand. That wouldn’t be the answer she wanted. 

“As long as they treated you well and you thought they were worth your time, then I’d be perfectly happy with you being involved with anyone on this station. Although, I’m not sure why you’re asking my permission.” Ziyal had dropped her arms and folded them to pillow her head. 

“Well, Cardassian girls usually ask their father’s permission before getting into a relationship, right?” Garak nodded. Ziyal’s smile was suddenly sheepish, and she couldn’t quite meet his eye. “Well, I consider you the closest thing I have on the station.”

Something deep in Garak stirred. It was a foreign feeling, one he hadn’t felt in a very long time, and it took him a while to realise that it was soft and warm affection for this girl who, given the choice, considered him a father to her. 

“Thank you, my dear,” he said genuinely. “I’m honoured you think so highly of me.” He rolled onto his front and mirrored her posture. “So, who’s the lucky humanoid who’s caught your eye?”

Ziyal’s gaze went dreamy, and she looked up somewhere above Garak’s head. 

“Jake Sisko.”

And suddenly the good warm feelings inside Garak froze and shattered like sheet ice. How was he going to put it gently that this was the worst idea he’d ever heard?

“Ziyal, are you sure pursuing young Mr Sisko would be a wise decision?”

She gave a slight, condescending laugh and raised an eye ridge. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

 _Oh, my poor sweet child_.

“It’s just that,” he sat up on the edge of his rock, “given the current political climate between the Federation and Cardassia, not to mention both of your fathers being at the forefront on either side of the fight, perhaps it wouldn’t be the best decision — diplomatically speaking — to engage him romantically.” Ziyal’s smile dropped and she looked at Garak like he was the foolish one.

“Jake and I aren’t our dads,” she scoffed. “Why should a war have any affect on how two people feel about each other?” She rolled onto her back and smiled at the ceiling. “Just having the chance to be with him would be worth it.”

 _Thinking with her heart before her brain_ , Garak though scornfully. _How very Bajoran of her._

“There’s no way I can talk you out of this, is there?” He sighed.

She smirked, and for a fraction of a moment looked frighteningly like her father. “Doubt it.”

“Very well. Since I can’t seem to discourage you, you have my begrudging blessing to pursue Jake Sisko.”

“That’s great!” Her smile shrunk. “There’s just one problem.”

Garak groaned. “And what would that be?”

“I don’t know how.”

Garak’s face dropped. “You’re joking.”

“Garak, if I met another Cardassian-Bajoran I probably wouldn’t know how to pursue them. Jake’s a human. It’s completely different.”

“So, you need to learn how to engage a human.”

She looked at him hopefully. “Do you know anyone who could help?”

\------

Julian’s brow pinched. 

“You want me to help Ziyal get with Jake?”

“Surely there’s a better term to use than ‘get with’, doctor.” He followed Julian across the infirmary as the doctor catalogued their stock of medicines and hypos. “There’s nothing I’d be able to say to discourage her, but neither of us know anything about human courting practices.” He’d lowered his voice as a nurse walked past and glared at him. 

“I’m just not sure why you’re asking me.” It wasn’t a ‘no, I will not,’ but a genuinely curious line of inquiry. 

“Why, of course doctor, I’m sure every other human male on the station is falling over themselves at the opportunity to school her,” he jibed. “Shall I ask Chief O’Brien instead?”

“Alright, fair point.” He scanned the expiry date on an adrenaline hypo and tossed it into the plastic repurposing bin. “If you come by my quarters after my shift, we can work out a plan of attack.”

Garak decided to skip over a prod about how Cardassian he sounded strategising a romantic involvement. 

“Thank you very much, doctor. I’m sure Ziyal will be most pleased.” Julian gave a little murmur, obviously very invested in his stock take. Garak walked out of the infirmary and had Ziyal at his side as soon as he was out the door. 

“So? What did he say?”

“Doctor Bashir has very kindly agreed to help me help you.” Ziyal was beaming. “We’re to visit him after shift and discuss a strategy.”

“Thank you!” She pulled Garak into a tight hug. “Oh, goodness, um. I better tell Nerys I’ll be home late.” She practically skipped into the turbolift to Ops. 

Finally, Garak let his own pleased smile shine through. An evening, at least, with Julian telling him everything he could hope to know about what attracted human males. Perhaps this wouldn’t be such a disaster after all.

\------

_Idiot, idiot, idiot!_

Julian practically threw the expired vaccine into the repurposing bin. He should have said no, but he was too distracted that he’d barely been listening to himself when he’d agreed to help. 

What was he going to say? _‘Human relationships usually involve dating, which means going out together as a couple, you would know Garak, we’ve been doing it for lunch for coming up five years now._ ’

Julian groaned. He could just picture Garak’s face as he realised that everything they’d been doing together for the past four years could be considered a human courtship. He’d be shocked, no doubt, appalled most definitely, probably at some point accuse Julian of manipulating him and declare they would never speak again. Fantastic. Just what he wanted. 

_Jake Sisko better sweep that girl off her feet,_ he thought bitterly.


	2. Chapter 2

“How well do you know Jake?”

Julian and Garak stood in front of the couch in front of Ziyal, who looked up at them with wide eyes, hands clasped firmly together. Julian felt vaguely like an angry father about to hand down some sort of discipline. At the question, Ziyal made a face that was somewhere between a smile and a grimace.

“Pass?”

Julian sighed. “How much have you talked to Jake?”

Ziyal blew out her cheeks. “Kira introduced us at at one of Captain Sisko’s dinner parties. She said it’d be good for us to make some friends our own age.” 

“Not a great start, but not a bad one either,” Julian mumbled. “What attracts you to him?”

A fond smile played on her lips. “He’s funny, and a great writer, and really nice, and very, very cute.”

Julian stifled a small laugh. “Well, my diagnosis is that you are absolutely lovesick. Would you consider yourself Jake’s friend?”

Ziyal’s mouth tightened into a thin line. “Not really.”

“Is that important?” Garak asked.

“Well, the human belief is that the best relationships begin as friendships.”

“Well, I guess that’s it.” Garak clapped his hands together and put on a disappointed look. “I suppose there’s nothing we can do now.”

“Well hang on,” Julian chastised, “it’s not the end of the world. Just because you can’t make friends doesn’t mean the rest of us are as incapable. This is just a minor setback. All it means is that we’re going to have to work a little harder.” He turned to Ziyal. “Speaking from experience, I would recommend trying to be Jake’s friend before you try and be his girlfriend.”

“Okay,” Ziyal nodded. “How do I do that?”

“Talk to him,” Julian answered. “Find out what his interests are and see if you share any. Just, get to know him.”

Ziyal gave another nod. “Great. So when do I start talking to him?”

“Right now, if you’d like.”

“Right now?” Ziyal said apprehensively.

“Right now?” Garak parroted.

“Of course, why not? I saw him head into Quark’s while I was leaving the infirmary.”

“Doctor, are sure that’s the best idea?” Garak tried to keep his tone as even as possible.

“No time like the present,” Julian said. “Well, come on, let’s go!” He was already on his way to the door as Garak helped Ziyal off the couch and onto her feet. He had a feeling that they were edging towards disaster. 

\-------------

Julian had been right, Jake was in Quark’s. What he hadn’t known was that Nog had joined him, and suddenly things had become more difficult. 

“They look like they’re having a good time,” Ziyal twisted her fingers as she watched the two laugh from outside. “I don’t want to interrupt.”

“Nonsense,” Julian declared. He patted her on the back. “When I was seventeen my friends and I would have loved to have been interrupted by a girl as pretty as you.”

“She may have a point, Doctor,” Garak said, pushing away the strange sting in his belly that the comment had caused. “Perhaps it would be better to do this another time when he’s alone, and since Nog is only just back from the academy, that may not be for a while now. No, the best time to approach someone is when they’re alone, vulnerable. It’s the Cardassian way.”

“Well, in case you hadn’t noticed, Garak, Jake is a human. And as a human I can say that we find possible partners who get along with our friends much more attractive.”

“But what do I say?” Ziyal asked.

“Just talk about something that’s been going on on the station,” Julian suggested, “something you know he’ll have an opinion on.”

“Perhaps it would be a good idea to avoid politics,” Garak advised. 

“Just, go up and say hi,” Julian encouraged. He gave Ziyal a strong smile, which she met with a smaller one, before Julian gave her a nudge on the back towards Quark’s. 

Once Ziyal was in the door and her confidence began returning, she turned and gave Julian and Garak a brave smile. She didn’t see the waiter coming the other way, two Bolian wines on the tray balanced on his hand, and when she turned back around they crashed right into each other, the wines he was carrying spilling down the front of her light blue dress, leaving a great red stain. 

“Oh dear,” Garak sighed as he and Julian jogged inside to her rescue. Ziyal brushed off the waiter who was trying to dab the wine off her dress. Julian unzipped his uniform jacket and pushed it over Ziyal’s shoulders, encouraging her to hold it around herself.

“My deepest apologies!” Quark declared as he ran up to them and swatted the offending waiter away, catching the attention of any drinkers who hadn’t seen the fiasco from the beginning. “To make up for my wait staffs utter ineptitude," your next five drinks are on the house.”

“That’s very kind of you, Quark,” Ziyal mumbled, looking like she wanted to sink through the floor and disappear.

“Let’s be on our way,” Julian suggested, resting a comforting hand between Ziyal’s shoulder blades and guiding her towards the door.

“Go?” Quark exclaimed, stepping in their way. “But you’ve just arrived! Why not let me get you the specials menu before you-”

Quark didn’t finish his sentence, his voice stolen by Garak reaching out and taking a brutal hold of his ear.

“Listen to me closely, you piteous little Ferengi,” he hissed, “we are leaving, and you’ll be lucky if any of us come back tonight after our young friend’s disastrous treatment by your staff. If I were you I would pray to your capitalist gods that Ms. Ziyal doesn’t sue you for damages! Have I made myself clear?“

Quark choked and squirmed away from the vice-like grip. “Perfectly,” he gasped. Garak let him go, Quark nearly collapsing to the ground.

“Now, let’s be on our way. I’ll have something in the shop to clean that up.”

As Julian led Ziyal out, he glanced over his shoulder to see several people watching the three of them leave. Jake was among them, and Julian winced, hoping Ziyal didn’t notice. The two of them shuttled her back down the Promenade to Garak’s shop and into a changing room.

“That was so embarrassing!” Ziyal said from behind the curtain. She tossed her dress and the jacket over the railing. “Do you think Jake saw?”

“Let’s hope not,” Garak said, passing her a spare shirt and pants though the changing room curtain. Pulling down the dress and getting a better look at the stain, Garak sighed. 

“Something to drink, Doctor?” He offered as he moved to the back room.

“A Tarkalean tea, if you wouldn’t mind,” he called, leaning on one of the display tables. Ziyal stepped back out in the baggy two-piece, arms folded loosely and posture bad, as if she was trying to shrink from existence. 

“Sorry if I ruined your jacket,” she said, head hung, but Julian shook his head. 

“It’ll be fine,” he said, waving the issue away as he pulled it back on. “You don’t think Starfleet would send us to the edges of known space without a stain-resistant uniform, do you?” That got him a small smile, followed immediately by Ziyal groaning and burying her face in her hands.

“I really hope he didn’t see that,” she said, muffled by her hands. 

“Don’t worry,” Julian assured her. “We’ve all mucked up in front of our crushes before.” _God knows how many times Garak’s caught me with my foot in my mouth._

“I believe now is the moment where I say ‘I told you so’,” Garak called, walking back into the main space of the shop with three mugs balanced in his hands.

“What’s the verdict?” Julian asked as he was handed his tea. 

Garak passed a mug to Ziyal. “Some high-grade cleanser and a bit of patience, and that dress will look better than it did new. And you will have realised I was right,” he had said with a pointed look. Ziyal looked down past the rim of her mug as she took a sip.

“Oh, come on, Garak,” Julian said, “it wasn’t that bad.”

“True, but it could have been much worse! My dear, are you really willing to go through any more embarrassment like that for the sake of one boy?”

 _I wonder what I’d say if someone asked me the same thing about you,_ Julian mentally snarked. 

Ziyal considered Garak’s words for a long while before nodding her head.

“Yes,” she said softly, “I am.”

Garak groaned and Julian stood with triumph. 

“Well, I’m glad to know that romance is still well and alive among the youth of today.”

“Very well,” Garak grumbled, left hand rubbing his temple with intent, “if you’re determined to see this to the end, I suppose I’ll lend you my help.”

Ziyal grinned and pulled him into a hug. “Thank you, Garak,” she said, muffled by the thick fabric of his shirt. After a slight surprise and an encouraging look from Julian, he returned the hug in earnest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update a lot earlier than I expected! Thank you all so much for your amazing comments ahh!! when I wrote this I thought, like, twelve people would read it lol. Unfortunately, classes start for me next week and what I have left of this already written out really needs some revision so it may be a while until the next update (also I'm not massively happy with this chapter :P)
> 
> Thank you again for your kind words of support. I know where this story is going. Getting is down may be trivky, but I'll try for you x


	3. Chapter 3

Jake had come out of his room just as Captain Sisko was finishing his breakfast. Usually if Jake wasn’t awake at the same time as him he would rouse him himself, but something had been off about his son since last night, when he’d come home late from Quark’s and trudged into his room, insisting that he didn’t “want to talk about it.”

Now he scuffed to the replicator and ordered a bowl of fruit salad, shoulders heavy the way they’d been last night. 

“Morning, Sleeping Beauty,” Sisko joked. Mood seemingly no better than it had been last night, Jake only made a soft laughing sound instead of responding. He sat down across from his dad, and Sisko puzzled over what had put his son in such a state. 

“Something on your mind?” He offered. Jake glanced up at him and shrugged. 

“I don’t wanna talk about it,” he mumbled, digging limply into his breakfast.

“Well that’s fine,” Sisko assured him. “How about I book us a suite at Quark’s tonight, and we can watch the Cubs win the ’16 World Series, and you can tell me all about it? Or not? All up to you.”

Jake managed a small smile and a nod. “Sounds good,” he mumbled.

“And in the meantime, let me say that whatever’s on your mind, moping around here in your pyjamas isn’t gonna fix it.”

Jake sighed. “Okay, Dad.”

Sisko was on his way out. “Love you. See you tonight.”

“See you,” Jake called as the doors slid shut behind him. His dad always knew what to do. That was his favourite World Series final from the 21st century. But then what he’d been feeling from last night came back, and suddenly he wasn’t so excited. 

\------

“O’Brien to Bashir.”

“Bashir here.”

“There’s something I have to tell you. You got a minute?”

“Well, my next appointment isn’t for another hour. What is it?”

“This secure network isn’t for gossip, Julian. Meet me at the replimat.”

“I’ll be there shortly.”

\------

Julian saw Miles at a table not far from the entrance. When Miles noticed him, he looked around then motioned him over furiously.

“What’s the story?” Julian asked as he eased into the seat across from him. Miles didn’t look happy to see him.

“What’ve you been telling Garak about me? My family?” he hissed. 

Julian was taken aback. “This is what you called me for?”

“Tell me!” Miles growled. 

“Nothing!” Julian insisted. “Nothing about Keiko and Molly at least. You, I’ve told him you like kayaking, you’re good at darts, you’re constantly dislocating your shoulder, and that I consider you a friend.” He glared at Miles. “Why are you asking me this?”

Miles leaned across the table, as if about to share a secret. 

“He was... nice to me this morning.”

Julian’s brows shot up. “That’s what you’re so concerned about?! He was nice to you and you call me in a panic?!”

“Not just normal nice,” Miles said through gritted teeth, glancing around them. “I ran into him on the Promenade, and before I know it he’s apologising for every time he may have offended or insulted me, and then offers me free repairs for all of Molly’s clothes!” Miles scoffed. “I mean, how does he know that she’s always getting holes in the knees of her pants?”

“She’s a little kid, little kids wreck things- Miles, are you sure you’re just not being paranoid? It sounds to me like Garak is genuinely sorry and wants to make it up to you by offering a useful service.”

Miles glared at him. “I know you think you know him, Julian, but I know Cardassians, and I know that they never say sorry unless they’ve got something to gain from it.” Miles stood up from the table. “Watch yourself around him.”

Julian watched Miles back as he disappeared down the Promenade. He sighed and shook his head as he stood from the table. Whatever Garak was playing at, it was between him and Miles, and he wasn’t going to interfere. 

He was just leaving the replimat restaurant as Kira and Ziyal walked in for lunch. They took a corner table and ordered. While waiting, Kira watched Ziyal intently. She’d been fidgety since coming back late last night, and had seemed very preoccupied. 

“Something you want to talk about?” Kira asked. She was barely paying attention. 

“Ziyal!” Kira said more firmly. At the use of her name she jumped, looking around before remembering where she was. 

“What’s on your mind?” She tried again. 

“Oh, nothing,” Ziyal insisted, waving a hand. “I guess I’m — I’m just tired.”

“I’m not surprised. You got home pretty late last night. Where were you?”

“Oh, just... spending time with Garak.” She twisted a loose strand of hair. 

“Spending time with him doing what?” Kira probed. 

“Just... talking.”

“About what?”

“Things, you know, Cardassian things. This years nominations for The Order of Lapis are coming out soon, he’s very interested in that.” She gave a convincing nod. 

“I’m sure he is.” Kira narrowed her eyes at Ziyal. If she didn’t know her so well, she wouldn’t have been able to tell she was lying. “I saw you two with Julian last night.”

“You did?” Her tone gave away her panic. Kira gave a strong, measured nod.

“I was with Odo. We saw the three of you on the security cameras heading to Quark’s together.” Kira leaned closer. “Ziyal, is there something you want to tell me?” 

She looked guilty. “I’d rather not talk about it,” she mumbled. 

Just then the waiters walked through with their orders. Kira twisted her lips and raised her eyebrows. 

"Fine,” she said, “if you don’t want to talk about it, then let’s not talk about it.”

\------

Sisko joined the virtual crowds standing ovation as the Cubs made their third home run. The only thing off about today was that Jake wasn’t joining him. 

“Jake-O, what’s the matter? This is your favourite part of the game!”

Jake was slouched in his seat, arms folded across his chest.

“Computer,” he called, “freeze program.”

The roaring crowd and sprinting fielders were frozen in place, in time. The fake clouds stopped moving across the fake sky. Sisko sighed and sat back down next to his son. 

“So there’s this girl,” Jake began, and Sisko couldn’t help but roll his eyes. So that’s what this was all about. 

“Jake, you might as well tell me who she is,” he cut in. “We’re not exactly planetside. I’ll know who she is sooner or later.”

Jake stared down at his fingers, cracking his knuckles along one hand. 

“It’s Ziyal.”

Sisko felt his entire body clench reflexively. “You... like Ziyal.”

“Yeah,” Jake sighed. 

Sisko took a deep breath. Worse things had happened than this. Far worse things. Ziyal wasn’t her father, he reminded himself. But she was very good friends with Garak. That didn’t do much to settle his mind. 

“Okay,” he carried on, “So what about her’s got you acting like this?”

“I really like her,” Jake said, “but I think she’s with someone else.”

“And what gave you that idea?” Sisko shifted in his seat to face his son.

Jake studied his fingernails and shrugged. “The other night, I saw her leaving Quark’s with Julian. He even put his jacket around her shoulders like in some old movie.” He flicked a hangnail off his finger. 

Sisko raised an eyebrow. Julian and Ziyal - that didn’t seem right. 

“Are you sure that’s what you saw?”

“I’m positive!” Jake exclaimed. He slumped back down and rested his head on his hand. “I’ve never felt this way about someone before,” he sighed. “I like her, but I barely know her.”

“Well then, get to know her,” Sisko suggested. “Talk to her. Try to be her friend. See if there is actually anything going on. And from there you can decide whether she’s worth the trouble.”

Jake looked up at him. “I guess you’re right,” he mumbled.

“I know I’m right. Now come on, this booking isn’t gonna last forever. Computer, resume program!”

\------

Julian stepped into the shop, finding only Garak and Ziyal in there. 

“I got your transmission,” he said. “What’s this all about?”

“Ziyal has a favour to ask of you,” Garak sighed. Ziyal was scratching one of her palms fervently and looked to Julian with wide eyes. 

“Nerys is suspicious,” she said. “And if she finds out then she’ll tell Captain Sisko and then he’ll tell Jake and I’d really, really prefer if that didn’t happen.” She crossed the room to Julian, staring up at him, verging on entering his personal space. “So, if Kira asks you anything about this, or any time that we’re spending together, you cannot tell her.”

Julian looked at them both sideways. “Was it really necessary to tell me this in person?”

Garak laughed. “You’ve obviously never been the subject of the Major’s ire, Doctor.”

“Julian,” Ziyal was still staring up at him, “promise me you won’t tell her anything about this.”

Julian looked to Garak, who gave him a nod.

“Okay, I won’t tell her anything.”

Ziyal huffed out a sigh. “Thank you,” she said.

“Can I go now?” Julian asked. 

“Not quite yet,” Garak said. “Ziyal has one more favour to ask of you tonight.”

“Oh?”

She took his hand and looked at him intensely. 

“Will you teach me how to flirt like a human?”

Julian sighed. “Fine. Although I’m not sure why that’s so important. What’s so different about Cardassian flirting?”

“I doubt young Mr Sisko would appreciate being insulted and goaded into an argument as an attempt at flirting,” Garak explained. 

Julian’s jaw fell. “You flirt through arguing?”

“And insults,” Garak said. “They’re a very important aspect.”

“Well, I think you’ll find human flirting to be a different breed of interaction altogether.” He turned back to Ziyal. “The most important aspect is flattery. You have to make them feel special, like they’re the only person who’s ever had your attention.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all. So I've just started uni, and with that has come time for me to reconsider how I'm managing my time, and I don't want to say it, but this story and my fandom involvement in general is a pretty low priority. I only have one full chapter left after this and I'll quickly be out of time to do any more writing, so this may be the last time I update in a while.
> 
> But! It isn't all doom and gloom! It's been incredible to see how many of you have taken to this story, and it truly warms my heart how many people are invested in it. Rue as I am to admit it, a lot of you have better ideas for this story than I do lmao. For that reason, I'm considering adopting this story out. If you have the time and investment and are willing to take my terrible chapter outlines and make something good out of them, I will give you this story and the credit for it. All I ask is to be added as a co-creator.
> 
> Leave a comment here if you're interested, mentioning your main tumblr handle, and I'll shoot you a message over there if I think we can make it work!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very quick sweet n short update! mostly filler that was a pain to write, but be assured, the next one or two chapters are already mostly written and should be out within the next 2/3 weeks! 
> 
> Thanks again for all the love this story has gotten, I really appreciate it. Enjoy! x

It was getting on by the time Ziyal called it a night for their flirting lesson.

“Nerys is really going to get suspicious if I keep staying out like last night.” They said their goodnights and she left, leaving Garak and Julian talking in the shop. 

“I had the strangest conversation with Miles earlier today,” Julian said as Garak passed him a mug of tea.

“Oh?” The Cardassian responded innocently. 

“He said you were ‘weirdly nice’ to him. Care to explain what that was about?”

Garak took his first sip and set his mug down wth a theatrical hand wave. “Oh, I just decided that this silly little feud of ours had gone on for long enough. I believe it’s what you would call ‘burying the hatchet.’”

“I see.” Julian looked at him with sharp eyes as he took another sip. Garak was lying. He lived for confrontation, and Julian wasn’t sure if the word ‘appeasement’ was in his vocabulary. There was something for Garak to gain from this, but he wasn’t sure what yet. 

He considered the variables. He and Garak were friends, and he and Miles were friends, but Garak and Miles were most definitely not friends. Julian smirked. It sounded like the advice he’d given Ziyal of trying to get onside with Nog.

When his brain finally made the connection, he choked on his tea in shock. He spluttered and coughed deep in his throat, Garak looking at him in surprise. He attempted to speak but only coughed more fiercely. A comforting hand came to thump him on the back, and the entire time, Julian’s mind was only screaming one thing - “He likes you!!”

“Are you quite alright, doctor?” Garak asked.

“Fine, thank you,” Julian wheezed, quickly dabbing his eyes and the corners of his mouth. He sniffed hard and winced. There was tea in the back of his nose.

Garak laughed softly, almost affectionately. “That’s what you get when you try to drink with as much gusto as you eat, my dear.”

Julian gave a weak laugh in agreement. “‘My dear’ - has he meant that affectionately this whole time?” 

His inner panic must have shown on his face, because Garak looked at him with something close to genuine concern.

“Are you sure you’re alright, Doctor?”

“Positive!” Julian snapped back. “I’m… I’m certain, thank you Garak, but it is getting late, and I should be on my way,” he said as he edged towards the door, “Uh, big day tomorrow, it’s uh, a re-inventory of the infirmary! I’ll have to uh, love you and leave you, I suppose! Haha! Goodnight!” And with that, Julian was out the door and off as if he’d seen a ghost.

Julian nearly ran through the empty habitat ring back to his quarters. He fell back on the sliding doors as soon as they shut behind him, trying to catch his breath and gather his thoughts.

Miles had said that Cardassians never did anything without something to gain. That must have been why Garak was trying to get on his good side. But that couldn’t be possible! That would mean that Garak…

That would mean that Garak liked him.

The corners of Julian’s corners tugged up, and he just couldn’t manage to let them drop.

“He likes me,” he whispered to himself, before yelling triumphantly, “He likes me!”

He punched at the air and leapt across the room. He knew it could have all just been wishful thinking, or that he could have been misinterpreting Garak’s motives, but for the moment he couldn’t bring himself to care.

He had a chance.

\------

Julian was out the door of Garak’s shop before he even had a chance to tell him when they would be meeting again. He took a worried sip of his drink. Whatever the doctor had realised before making his hasty retreat, he must not have liked it.

Garak leaned against a display table and rubbed a weary eye with the knuckle of his thumb. If Julian had realised his motives, several future scenarios became possible. 

He could be outright and painfully rejected and have Julian declare their friendship over. The prospect made his heart ache. Most likely, the ever diplomatic Julian would pretend the incident never happened, or sit Garak down one day and give him some awkward rambling spiel about how he appreciated his attentions but didn’t return his feelings, but it was okay because the galaxy was vast and her subjects diverse and Garak’s love was out there, which would somehow manage to be more painful than a blunt severing of ties.

The last hopeful part of his brain entertained the idea that maybe, just maybe, Julian returned Garak’s feelings. He managed to muster a sad laugh. In what twisted universe would the beautiful, brilliant, accomplished, heterosexual Julian Bashir ever settle for a washed up, exiled, middle-aged tailor with nothing to offer him but half-truths and witticisms?

He swallowed his tea, and was surprised to find a lump in his throat.

It had been going so well.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's back!! 
> 
> To say thank you to all of you for your patience, I present this beast of a chapter which is, no joke, 44% of this fic's entire word-count so far. Enjoy!!

Sisko was halfway through writing his end of week report when Kira stepped into his office. 

“Good morning Captain.” 

“Major,” he said over the brim of his mug. 

“I’ve got net week’s docking schedule here for you,” she said as she passed a PADD across his desk. “The Endeavour wasn’t scheduled, but they had a run-in with the Klingons. She’ll be here in four hours. The Captain’s requested a dock and a repair team.”

Sisko flicked between the ship’s damage report and the day’s docking schedule. “Have the Kohberian Ambassador’s delegation land on Bajor and give the Endeavour their dock. I’ll take a runabout down to meet them and bring them up here. As for the Endeavour, get Chief O’Brien to spare whoever he can.”

Kira gave a polite nod and a “Yes sir” before turning to leave.

“Uh, Major,” Sisko called, setting down the PADDs. Kira turned around to face him as he leaned forward in his chair. “This might be a strange question, but, have you noticed any...” he struggled to find the right word, “unusual behavior from Ziyal?”

“Well, since you asked, yes.” Kira rested her hands on her hips. “She came home late the other night, and ever since she’s been... strange. Like yesterday, when we went out for lunch, I asked her what she’d been doing with Garak and Julian, and she was adamant she didn’t want to talk about it.”

Sisko’s eyes widened. “With Julian?”

Kira nodded, her brow furrowing. “Why’s that so surprising?”

“Well, Jake seems convinced that he and Ziyal are together.”

Kira’s face fell. “Really.” Sisko nodded. Kira set her jaw in a very dangerous way. She gave a harsh nod and twisted her lips. “Well, it looks like Julian and I are going to be having a little talk.” Sisko tried to interject, but Kira was already storming out of his office and heading directly for the turbolift.

“Don’t forget to talk to the Chief,” he mumbled as he returned to his report.

\------

“She’s right over there,” Nog whispered. “Just go and talk to her.”

“They’re in the middle of a conversation. I don’t want to interrupt,” Jake whispered back. He and Nog were huddled together behind a jewellery stand across the Promenade from Garak’s shop. Ziyal was inside, browsing dress designs Garak had laid out across his work bench. Jake’s palms were sweating just at the thought of going in there.

“You won’t be interrupting! Just walk in there pretending to look for clothes and strike up a conversation.” Nog was much more perceptive than most people gave him credit for. When he and Jake had been at Quark’s together, he’d seen his friend’s face noticeably drop, and just out of the corner of his eye managed to catch Ziyal leaving with Julian. He’d put it together in no time at all.

Jake sighed. “What’s even the point? She’s already got a boyfriend.”

“Jake, believe me, Doctor Bashir isn’t the ladies’ man everyone thinks he is. If Leeta was willing to leave him for my dad, you’ll have no trouble.”

Jake looked at him sideways. “You really think so?” Nog gave him an emphatic nod.  
“Alright,” Jake said, “I’ll give it a try.”

\------

Garak had been the first one to notice Jake and Nog watching them from across the way. They would have made dismal reconnaissance agents. 

“Don’t look now,” he murmured, glancing back down to his sewing, “but Jake and Nog are over there watching us.”

Ziyal did a double take, staring at him with wide, serious eyes. She pretended to fix her hair and turned her head just enough to see them peering at her from over the jewelry stand. She turned back around as naturally as she could and slammed her hands down on Garak’s work table. 

“What are they doing?” She squeaked, panic on her face. 

“Relax,” Garak said softly. Perhaps this wasn’t as dismal a cause as he’d thought. “Pretend they’re not there.”

“It’d be much easier to do that if I didn’t know they were there,” she hissed. “Why are they just standing there?”

Garak took glances from his sewing, few enough to not appear suspicious. 

“If I had to guess,” he murmured, “young Mr Sisko is working up the courage to come in and say hello.” He allowed himself to smile slightly. 

Ziyal’s eyes went wide. “He’s what?”

“And perhaps, due to my presence, he’s hesitating.”

“Well you’re not exactly the most non-threatening person on this station.”

“Thank you, my dear.” He set down his sewing. “Maybe if you walk out of there, on your own, he’ll come and talk to you.”

Ziyal bit her lip. “If you think it’ll work...”

“I know it will,” he insisted. “Now, go on.”

Ziyal took a deep breath. Mustering up as much confidence as she could, she turned to the door, shoulders back and head high, and walked out of the shop.

\------

“So what’s my game plan?” Jake asked Nog. “Oh! How about the ‘fancy running into you here’ routine?”

Nog looked at him, unimpressed. “That is incredibly lame.” His face lit up with an idea. “Maybe I could reset the environmental settings in Garak’s shop, ready for you to stage a daring rescue!”

“Nog, are you crazy?!” Jake whisper-shouted. “I want to ask her out, not put her life in danger. Whatever I do has to be natural. It can’t look like I was trying to run into her or anything.”

“Well you better think quick,” Nog said, “because she’s leaving right now!”

“What?!” Jake exclaimed. He nearly tipped over the kiosk in his rush to see Ziyal walking in the opposite direction down the Promenade. “No no no, go back inside!”

“Jake, if you’re gonna make your move you better make it fast!”

“But what about the game plan?!”

“There’s no time!” But it was too late. Ziyal was already around the bend of the Promenade, gone from site, and chasing her down was far out of the question.

Jake groaned and dragged his hands down his face. 

“I blew it,” he muttered. 

Nog hummed. “Maybe not.” He took Jake by the elbow. “Walk with me.”

\------

Garak rolled his eyes theatrically. Ziyal had looked back at him nervously when she was a few steps out of the shop and Jake hadn’t approached her. He’d given her an encouraging look and waved her on, and she’d kept walking. He’d watched in dismay as she’d disappeared around the corner and neither of the boys had moved to follow her, instead electing to walk in the opposite direction and squabble over what they should have done. 

He shook his head and took back his sewing. Young Mr Sisko was proving to be just as romantically incompetent as Doctor Bashir. 

\------

“Julian, can I talk to you for a minute?”

At Kira’s request and the tone she had used, Julian’s blood ran cold. What had he done this time? He set down the PADD he was holding with only slightly shaking hands and turned to face her.

“Of course, Major. What can I help you wi-“

The air was knocked out of his lungs and his sentence cut short when Kira grabbed him by the front of his jacket and shoved him against the infirmary wall. 

“What do you think you’re doing with Ziyal?” She growled. 

His mouth ran dry. “W-what do you mean?”

“You know what I mean!” She snapped. “You led her out of Quark’s the other night with your jacket over her shoulders. Why were you there with her?”

“W-we were just getting drinks!” Julian stammered. “We’re friends, after all!”

Kira narrowed her eyes at him. “You and Ziyal friends? Since when?”

Julian gathered some of his courage. “I’m not sure that’s any of your business, Major.”

That earned him another shove against the wall and a very angry Bajoran face only a few inches from his own.

“Try – again.” Kira hissed.  
Julian’s mouth moved but no sound came out. Kira rolled her eyes before her expression changed into something colder and even more dangerous, as she managed to move even closer to Julian’s face. 

“Listen to me very carefully,” she said softly. “I don’t know what twisted game you or Garak are playing, but Ziyal is a girl, under my care, and you are a grown man who I don’t her involved with. If you hurt her, in any way, you’ll regret it.”

She spat her last words at him before letting him go roughly and storming out of the infirmary, leaving Julian fairly shell-shocked. He puffed out a breath and shook his head. If Ziyal didn’t fess up to Kira soon, he wouldn’t see out the end of the week.

\------

Not twenty minutes later, Garak heard a customer step through the door, and looked up to see Ziyal again.

“I didn’t know what else to do so I just walked a lap of the Promenade.” Her fingers were twisted together tightly. “They’re not still there, are they?”

“They left shortly after you made your exit,” Garak said. No sooner had the words left his mouth did he see Jake and Nog approach the kiosk again, taking tentative glances at the shop. “Speak of the devil,” he muttered.

Ziyal peaked over her shoulder and caught a glimpse of them before huffing in frustration. “What’s his deal? Why can’t he just come up and say hi?”

“Perhaps that’s your job,” Garak suggested. “In all of our sessions with Doctor Bashir, he never mentioned whether the male or female was expected make the first move.”

“Julian,” Ziyal sighed. “Where is that man when you need him?”

“Evidently, somewhere else,” Garak muttered, letting some bitterness bleed out, stabbing the needle he was wielding forcefully through the fabric. 

Ziyal twisted her lips. “You really think I should go out there?”

“Young mister Sisko obviously isn’t brave enough to do it himself,” Garak said. “If this is really what you want, my dear, you must take control of the situation.”

Ziyal breathed out. “Alright,” she sighed, nodding her head. “I’m gonna go out there. Wish me luck.”

Garak smiled warmly, managing to hide his creeping fear that this was all going to end horribly. “Good luck.”

Ziyal cleared her throat and turned to the door.

\------

“Target approaching, 6 o’clock,” Nog whispered, glancing behind himself. 

“You’re sure about this?” Jake asked nervously.

“Positive!” Nog exclaimed. “Uncle Quark taught me everything I know about Cardassian fee-males. Trust me Jake, it’s a sure thing.” Ziyal was only a few metres away. “Good luck,” he said before dashing off.

Jake squared his stance and set his face. He could sense Ziyal come and stand next to him, pretending to look at the jewelry on display. In his peripheral he saw her glance at him and then quickly look away. His heart beat a little faster, but he remembered what Nog had told him.

Ziyal’s palms were sweaty as she tested the weight of a Tholian pendant in her hand.

“Hi, Jake,” she said softly, managing a nervous smile.

He glanced at her disinterestedly before turning back to the display. “Ziyal.”

A pit appeared in the bottom of Ziyal’s stomach. She hadn’t expected him to be this cold. Still, she persevered. “I...I like your shirt,” she said with a friendly smile.

“I didn’t wear it for you,” Jake said matter-of-factly.

Ziyal was stunned. She’d never heard of Jake acting like this. What had gotten into him?

“I saw some of your art the other day on display at Quark’s,” Jake said. Her head shot up hopefully.

“Oh?” she stammered. A smile spread on her face. “Did you like it?”

“It was average,” he said dismissively. He wasn’t even looking at her, instead holding a pair of earrings up to the light. “The subject matter was interesting, but obviously far too complex to be handled by an amateur with such little talent.”

If someone had asked Ziyal what she thought was the worst thing that could happen by trying to engage Jake, she never would have dreamt of this. Her throat was dry and mortified heat spread across her face.

“You’re being very unkind, Jake,” she said softly, trying to keep her voice from shaking. “Have I done something to offend you?”

Jake had been battling the discomfort he’d felt growing in his chest this entire conversation. At Ziyal’s soft plea it was beginning to peak. He looked unhappily across the way to Nog, who was watching from behind a pillar and listening very intently. The Ferengi nodded strongly and gave him a thumbs up.

Jake cleared his throat. “Yes, as a matter of fact.”

Ziyal breathed deeply. “And what’s that?” she asked.

\------

Garak was watching the interaction intently from his shop. Cardassian hearing may have been weak, but he was a master reader of body language. Jake was standing tall and aloof - highly unusual for him. Ziyal’s shoulders were low and the way she was looking at him meant nothing good.

“Oh dear,” he sighed. Putting aside his pride, he opened a comm link to the infirmary.

“Garak to Doctor Bashir.”

“Bashir here.”

“Doctor, please come to my shop immediately. I believe our little project is about to come to a head.”

\------

“You’ve been shadowing Nog and I around like a kicked puppy all week,” Jake said cruelly. “It’s like you’re following us or something.”

“W-what?” Ziyal asked. The suggestion was so ridiculous she couldn’t keep down a hint of laughter in her response. Jake looked nowhere near amused. She regained her composure. “Jake, I don’t know where you got that idea, but that’s definitely not the case.”

Jake shrugged. “There must be another reason for it then. You like Nog, don’t you?”

Ziyal’s jaw fell. He couldn’t have been serious. “No, no, that’s not it at all!”

“Than what is it?” Jake said accusatorially. “What about us do you find so interesting?”

“Why does it bother you so much?” She returned, anger starting to build in her chest. She was the daughter of the Prefect of Bajor. Who was this, this human, to think that he could talk to her like this?

“You’ve gotten sneaky. You’ve been spending too much time with Garak. Why are you stalking us?”

“Stalking?!” Ziyal repeated, an indignant tone in her voice. “Don’t think yourself so important!”

“Just give me an answer,” he said, meeting her tone.

“Is it really upsetting you that much?” Ziyal asked with genuine anger. “Would you rather I leave you both alone?”

“I would!” he snapped.

As soon as the words had left Jake’s mouth, he regretted them. Garak could make out the shocked rise and hurt drop of Ziyal’s shoulders from the other side of the Promenade. Julian walked in just in time.

“What’s happened?” he asked Garak.

“See for yourself, Doctor,” he said. Julian looked across the Promenade and could just make out the look on Ziyal’s face. 

“Oh no,” he sighed.

Ziyal nodded and bit her bottom lip.

“Well,” she said, “if that’s how you really feel… I’m glad to know.” She turned away just as her voice started to crack. Jake watched her walk away in complete horror. He turned to Nog, who was wearing a similar expression as he raced towards him.

“What did you do?!” 

“I don’t know!” Jake exclaimed. “I did exactly as you told me to!”

Julian and Garak were out the door as soon as Ziyal had turned her back on Jake. She’d bought a hand up to cover her mouth, and tears were starting to spill down her face. Garak supposed the fatherliest thing to do in this instance was to hug her. He opened his arms and she threw herself into them, hugging him tightly around the middle.

“I’m such an idiot,” she half-sobbed into the front of his shirt. Some long-dormant paternal instinct kicked in, and Garak hugged her back, placing a comforting hand on the back of her head.

“What happened?” Julian asked. “What did he say to you?” He placed a hand on her back in an attempt at consolation.

It was Julian’s bad luck that at this exact moment, Kira was on her way from Ops to Docking Bay 3 via the Promenade. All she needed was to see Ziyal in tears and Julian trying to calm her for everything to be proven in her mind.

“Julian Bashir!” she shouted across the Promenade at him. He looked up at her with a start. Kira had seen the Doctor wearing an ‘oh shit’ expression before, but none of them had been like this.

Maybe that’s because he knew he was staring into the face of certain death.

She was upon him in moments, grabbing him by the collar and hauling him away from Ziyal. She pulled him down to her height and snarled at him.

“What - did - you - do?”

Julian’s mouth moved soundlessly for several seconds.

“What did I do?!” he exclaimed.

“I told you what would happen if you hurt her.”

“Nerys,” Ziyal said, peeling away from Garak for a moment, face shining with tears, “it’s not his fault, he-”

“Stay out of this, Ziyal,” Kira said, her focus not breaking from Julian.

“You think I’m the one who-” there was a murderous glint in her eye. “Nerys, I swear I would never-”

“Don’t you ‘Nerys’ me, Doctor!” she yelled. “I hope for your sake you’re not the only medic on duty today, because after I’m done you’re going to need all the help you can get!”

“Wait!” Jake called as he and Nog jogged over. “Ziyal, I didn’t mean to-”

“I think you’ve done more than enough, mister Sisko,” Garak scowled, and both the boys knew immediately not to challenge him.

“What the Hell is going on here?!”

All eyes in the group fell on the approaching Captain Sisko. When he’d gotten word from a member of the public that two of his senior officers were about to start brawling on the Promenade, they’d failed to also mention that a cadet, his own son and the daughter of Gul Dukat were also involved.

“Perhaps you should ask your son, Captain,” Garak suggested, “and while you’re at it, find out who he learned how to speak to a lady from.”

“Garak, forget it,” Ziyal said, calming down. “Let’s just leave.”

Confused, Sisko assessed the scene in front of him. Ziyal was in tears, Garak was staring down Jake and Nog, who were arguing in deep confusion, and Kira looked about ready to tear Julian’s head off. Suddenly, combined with information he’d gained over the past few days, everything became alarmingly clear.

“Alright, that’s enough,” he said. “All of you, break it up.” He motioned to Jake and Ziyal to come closer to him. They stood on either side of him, Ziyal watching Jake wearily, everyone else in the crowd and a few Promenade rubberneckers watching on.

“Jake,” Sisko said, “tell me honestly how you feel about Ziyal.”

“What?!” The two said in unison before looking at each other with the same expression of shock. Jake gave his father a pleading look, but Sisko returned it with an unrelenting glare. Jake sighed.

“I…” he sighed deeply. “I like her,” he admitted with no little trepidation. 

Ziyal sniffed and looked at him in confusion. “You… you do?” Jake nodded, red in the face and unable to make eye contact. Ziyal gave a disbelieving laugh. “Then why did you say all that horrible stuff to me?”

“I was trying to argue with you!” Jake said as if the answer should be plain. “Nog told me that-” he turned back to motion to his friend, only to see his back as he ran the other way down the Promenade. Jake sighed. “He told me that… that’s how Cardassians flirt.”

Sisko wasn’t sure he’d seen his son embarrassed like this before. But he nodded and gave him a pat on the back. 

“Ziyal, how do you feel about Jake?”

A hopeful smile spread on her tear-mottled face. “...I like you too.”

“Really?” Jake said. Ziyal gave a definite nod and Jake could feel his heart beat even faster in his chest. 

“Wait a minute,” Kira said, breaking into the conversation, dragging Julian by the collar in with her. “Where does he come into this?”

A greyish blush spread across Ziyals face. “I… didn’t know how to… get to know a human, so I enlisted Doctor Bashir’s help.”

“Actually she enlisted Garak’s help, who in turn enlisted me,” Julian said, still in Kira’s grasp. He turned to look her in the face. “I’m as much a bystander in this as you are, Major.” She rolled her eyes at him and let go of his collar. She turned to Ziyal and help her by the sides of her arms.

“So you’re telling me, you and Doctor Bashir are in no way romantically involved?”

A look of surprise and near disgust crossed Ziyals face. “No!” She exclaimed. “What in the world gave you that idea?”

“Well, you,” Kira stammered, “you were so secretive about your time together!”

“Because I knew that you would tell Dax and then the whole station would find out.” She looked around the crowd on the Promenade. “Although, I guess now that that was an unnecessary precaution.”

Sisko grinned widely. “So, is that everyone’s questions answered? Then I suppose we should all get back to work.” He gave the adults and the small gathered crowd a hard look and they slowly dispersed. Garak put a hand on Ziyals back and looked at Jake intensely.

“Well, you two have fun! And remember, my dear boy,” he said to Jake with a wide smile, “if you hurt her, I can make sure they’ll never find your body.”

“Garak!” Julian and Ziyal said in unison, appalled.

“It was only a joke, of course!” He said before Julian practically dragged him away. Ziyal and Jake both watched them leave before finally having to look at each other.

“Well,” Ziyal said. “What a morning, huh?”

“You could say that again,” Jake laughed. “I’m really, really sorry for making you cry.”

Ziyal laughed genuinely and wiped her cheek with her sleeve. “Sorry about Garak making a threat against your life.”

Now it was Jake’s turn to laugh. “I’m surprised Kira didn’t chip in too.”

They laughed together. Ziyal couldn’t believe it. This was what she’s been wanting this whole time. It had been Hell to get here, but now that they were on the same level, it somehow all felt worth it.

“So,” she said, “what do we do now?”

Jake smiled coyly. “Well, usually the next step after this would be a date.”

“A date?” Ziyal nodded. “That sounds good. We could got to Quarks, or the Klingon restaurant, or-“

“Actually,” Jake interjected, “I was thinking of something a little more far afield.” 

Ziyal looked curiously at him. “Like where?”

Jake smiled bashfully. “Well, I know this great little place on earth, late 20th century…”

Ziyal put the pieces together and laughed. “A holosuite.”

“A classy holosuite,” Jake clarified. “We can go dancing, have dinner, it’s a great program. So, what do you say?”

She couldn’t keep down a smile. After all the worrying and panicking, the lovesickness and the trivial rules about human courtship, this was all it really came down to.

“I say it sounds wonderful. When and where?”

“How about this Saturday? I can pick you up from Garak’s, say, 1900 hours?”

“Great,” she said. “I’ll see you then.” Jake smiled widely. Uncertain how to end the strange and tumultuous encounter, he rested a hand on the small of her back before slipping behind her and down the Promenade.

\------

Garak and Julian waited eagerly in the shop for Ziyal’s return. She drifted back through the door with a glassy stare and a wide smile.

“I hope it was all worth it,” Julian proclaimed, “seeing as your foster mother nearly killed me.”

“How did it go?” Garak asked, ignoring Julian’s complaints.

She looked at them and managed to school her expression.

“We have a date.”

The pair cheered as if the Dominion had just been exiled from the Alpha Quadrant.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, happy new year! I'm back and ready to finally wrap this fic up in 2019. 
> 
> This chapter is a sort-of part one to the full conclusion, which I hope to have out sometime early next month. It's been such an amazing experience writing this fic and getting to see the kindness and support of the ds9 fandom firsthand. Every comment and kudos this story has gotten has been a little nudge towards the finish line, even if at such a slow pace ;)
> 
> Thanks again, and I hope you enjoy.

“You’re sure about this, Garak?”

“My dear, if I had thought at any point that the dress might not suit you, you would be wearing something different.”

“I don’t know…” Ziyal murmured from behind the changing room curtain. 

“I believe you need a second and third opinion,” Kira said. “Come out here.”

A sigh. “Okay – here I come.”

Ziyal pulled back the dressing room curtain shyly, stepping out in the dress Garak had made for her date.

Kira was at a loss for words. “I have to admit, Garak,” she eventually said, “I wasn’t sure you had it in you, but she looks amazing!”

Ziyal gave a sheepish smile. “You think so?”

“Absolutely.” Kira looked to Garak for support, but his self-satisfied smirk said enough. “But what do you think?”

Ziyal looked at herself in the mirror. Garak had insisted that she couldn’t see the dress until the night of the date. It was a long-sleeved, floor-length evening gown. The neckline sat around her shoulders, just below her collarbones. The fabric was embellished with light pink stones, which made her glimmer very elegantly in the shop’s light.

“You don’t think it’s too much?” she asked. The dress was beautiful without a doubt, but perhaps, she thought, a touch extravagant for a first date.

“Not at all,” Garak said. “I spoke with Jake himself and had him describe to me in great detail the program he intended to take you to.”

“I’m sure that was just for the sake of the dress,” Kira remarked sarcastically.

Ziyal chuckled, still looking at her reflection, smoothing down her skirt. “You’d think he could’ve at least clued in the person he was taking.”

“Oh no,” Garak shook his head. “He was determined for it to be a surprise. Our meeting was undertaken in complete secrecy and he has sworn me to confidentiality.”

“Spoken like a true _tailor._ ”

The voice made Garak, just for a sliver of a second, freeze. He turned, with a forced smile, to see Julian striding into the shop.

“Doctor,” he said with an air of only mild surprise. “I wasn’t expecting you this evening.”

“Oh, I just thought I’d swing by and see the lovely couple off. Ziyal, you look stunning,” he said with a smile before seeing Kira’s scowl. “I-in a completely platonic way, of course,” Julian laughed, unable to disguise the panicked look in his eyes.  

“Don’t worry Julian,” Ziyal said. “Nerys is just as eager to put that little miscommunication behind you as you are. Aren’t you, Nerys?” There was a definite strain in her voice.

Kira rolled her eyes. “Well, I suppose I have to, don’t I?” Julian was content that was the closest he would get to an apology.

She turned to Ziyal and took her hands. “I have to get to my shift, but be safe, be sensible, be home by 2300 hours, and…” the stern expression she was wearing collapsed into a grin. “Have a wonderful time tonight.” She pulled her into a hug and kissed her on the cheek before leaving for Ops.

“I dare say she’s happier about this than any of us,” Julian remarked once Kira was gone.

“I think she’s just happy to see me spending time with people my own age.”

“Indeed,” Garak said. “It’s good to see young people still having fun in times like these. Speaking of time, Jake will be here soon, and I still need to do your makeup.” He took Ziyal’s hand and led her to the back room.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Julian called.

“Given your knowledge of fashion and colour theory, Doctor, I highly doubt it.”

Whether intentional or not, that barb stung more than Julian was expecting. “Come on,” he said, “surely there’s something I can do.” In reality, Julian barely cared about Ziyal’s look for her date. After his revelation that Garak was attracted to him, he had made the decision to actively pursue the other man, and hoped that the love in the air would loosen his heart.

Garak relented. “Fine,” he sighed. “You can hold my brushes.”

“Yes, sir!”

 

* * *

 

 

“And you’re sure you’ve got everything?”

 “Yes, dad,” Jake said.

“You’ve got the program?”

“Yes, dad.”

“And you’ve got the latinum to pay for the suite?”

“Dad, trust me, I’ve got everything!”

“Alright,” Sisko said, hands up in resignation, “I just don’t want to forget anything.”

“How could I forget? This is all I’ve been able to think about all week.” Jake looked in the mirror pensively. “Do I look alright?”

“You look like a star,” his father said. “But your tie’s a little crooked.” He ushered Jake to him and adjusted his tie. “There you go.” He slung an arm over his shoulder and smiled widely at him. “What do you think, Kasidy?”

“You look very handsome, Jake,” Kasidy said from the couch, glancing up at him momentarily from her cargo report.

“How long until you pick her up?” Sisko asked.

Jake checked his watch. “Ten minutes,” he said. “If it’s a five-minute walk to the Promenade, I should probably leave now and meet her early.” He smirked at his dad. “A gentleman doesn’t keep his date waiting.”

“That’s the spirit.” Sisko clapped him on the shoulder. “Have a good night, and don’t make her cry this time!”

Jake was still too embarrassed about the incident to joke along, so he simply left. Sisko nudged Kasidy to move over and sat next to her, pulling her legs across his lap.

“There he goes,” he said, “my boy, on his first real date.”

Kasidy hummed in response and continued scrolling through the cargo list. Sisko looked her strangely.

“Well, you don’t seem that excited for him,” he observed.

“It’s just…” Kasidy sighed and set down the PADD, looking Sisko in the eye. “Do you think what they’re doing is a good idea?”

Her response took him by surprise. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that she is the daughter of the man who oversaw Bajor’s near demise, and he is the son of the Emissary to the Prophets! Doesn’t that bother you, Ben?”

Sisko sighed and rested a hand on her shin. “I’ll admit that at first I had my reservations. But don’t forget that Ziyal is half-Bajoran, and just as much a victim of her father’s crimes as anyone else. She’s a sweet girl and she barely has anything to do with Dukat.”

Kasidy twisted her lips. “But she’d still drop everything to go back to him if he asked her to. I just don’t want Jake to get his hopes up on a girl who might hurt him.”

“Well, whether she hurts him still remains to be seen, but what’s certain now is that they are both like each other very much. If she hurts him, she hurts him. What matters is that he at least takes that chance.”

“You think it’s worth the risk?”

He couldn’t keep down a laugh and grasped her hand. “I took a pretty big risk waiting for you to get out of that Federation penal colony. So far, I’d say it’s paid off.”

Kasidy rolled her eyes. “Benjamin Sisko, you are a true romantic,” she said with a smile.

“And don’t you forget it,” he murmured as he leaned in for a kiss that she met.

  

* * *

 

 

Julian rolled Garak’s brushes in his hand nervously. He felt like he should say something, even though his company were both stone silent. Garak was focused on dabbing Ziyal’s cheekbones with shimmering blueish-grey blush, and she seemed content to sit quietly, eyes closed as he continued his ministrations.

 _Say something!_ His mind screamed at him. He listened to the music that was playing softly from a speaker in the corner.

“Lovely music,” he commented. “It’s uh, a Vulcan meditation rhythm, I believe?”

“Yes, Doctor,” Garak comment, not turning to look at him. “Chosen to get Ziyal in a calm headspace before her date.”

“Of course,” he said. “We’ve all been there. How are you feeling about tonight, Ziyal?”

Ziyal nodded. “Nervous,” she admitted, “but… also excited. Like a strange mix of the two, and it’s making me feel weird and fidgety.”

Julian smiled knowingly. “Butterflies.”

“She looked at him strangely. “Pardon?”

“Oh, it’s this old human expression,” he said. “The fluttering feeling in your stomach, it feels as if there were butterflies flying around inside there, doesn’t it?”

She smiled. “I suppose.”

Garak scoffed and continued with painting her face.

“Oh? No input from you, Garak?” Julian said smugly. “No quick remarks about the fanciful sayings of humans?”

“I’ve learned better than to indulge you, Doctor.” He said it with very little humor. “The tapered blender, if you will.”

“Oh, of course,” he stammered, handing the requested brush to Garak. Perhaps trying to encourage a reaction from him while he was focusing on his work was a bad idea. “Any idea where Jake is taking you?”

“Not a clue,” Ziyal said. “I hope it’s somewhere nice, otherwise I’ll be all dressed up with nowhere to go.”

“I can assure you,” Garak said as he dusted silvery highlighter above the crest of her chufa, “you’re in for a wonderful, appropriately-dressed night. Mascara please, Doctor.”

Julian handed him the small tube, just as the buzzer for the front door sounded off.

“Hello?” Jake’s voice carried through the store to the back room.

Ziyal gasped. “He’s early,” she whispered.

“I’d say he’s right on time,” said Garak. “Doctor, could you go out and greet him? I won’t be two minutes here.”

“Of course,” Julian said, setting down the brushes and heading out. When he saw Jake, he was slightly taken aback.

“Hey, Julian,” the young man said with a smile when he saw him. “Is Ziyal here?”

“Yes, she is,” Julian said. “She uh, won’t be a moment. You…” Julian was stunned silent for a moment. He looked Jake up and down quickly. He was wearing a burgundy suit and tie, with a white dress shirt and brown leather shoes. His hair was freshly trimmed. Someone – Julian was assuming Sisko – had given him temple fades and evened out his hairline.

“You look very grown up,” was all Julian could offer.

Jake’s face lit up. “You think so? Thanks!”

“Jake?” Ziyal called from the back room. “Are you there?”

“Yeah, I am. Are you ready to go? Sorry for being so early.”

“No, no, it’s fine,” she stammered. She swallowed against the – what had Julian called them? – butterflies in her stomach and took a deep breath.

Garak held at an arm for her and smiled sympathetically. “Ready when you are, my dear.”

Ziyal stepped out of the back room, hand loosely wrapped around Garak’s forearm. Now it was Jake’s turn to be left speechless.

“Wow,” he breathed. “You – you look amazing.”

She couldn’t help a smile. “You’re not looking that bad yourself.”

“Ah, young love,” Garak sighed with more than a hint of sarcasm. He stepped between the two of them and, as was tradition for Cardassian fathers, took Ziyal’s hand from around his arm and rested it on Jake’s, encouraging him to hold it in a similar fashion.

“Remember the Major’s curfew,” he cautioned Ziyal as he moved them. “And if Quark tries holding the suite to ransom for an inflated fee, don’t hesitate to call. But most of all,” he clapped them both on the shoulder and gave an uncharacteristically genuine smile, “Have fun. But not too much fun,” a warning tone slipping into his voice that was at least somewhat intentional, paired with a hard look at Jake.

Ziyal laughed awkwardly. “I think it’s time for us to go,” she said, tugging Jake along and out of the shop before Garak had the chance to scare him more thoroughly.

“Have a good time,” Julian called after them. He sidled closer to the tailor. “Well, Mr. Garak, I would say our job here is done.” He smiled one of those infuriatingly charming smiles.

“I would say so, Doctor.” _Now, if you would be so kind, either kiss me here and now, for the whole Promenade to see or leave me alone forever._

Juian obviously had no telepath roots, because he gave no indication of hearing the angry, bitter thoughts hidden behind Garak’s placid demeanor. “Would you care to join me for a bottle of spring wine to celebrate?”

Garak kept down a sigh. He knew that now would be when Julian ‘let him down gently’. He’d cut through the awkwardness with few drinks and tell Garak that he’d prefer they just stayed friends. It sounded humiliating, and he had no intention of subjecting himself to it. He would have to say no.

“I would be delighted to, Doctor.”


End file.
